Welcome to US History I

Welcome back to MHS! I know we are going to have a great year.

This is my third year of blogging for US History I. I usually post information on the blog on Saturday morning. The goal of the blog is to provide you with an overview of what we discussed in class and to provide active links for additional information. I will also remind you about major projects and give suggestions on how to be a successful history student.

Let’s review some of our standard classroom procedures. You should bring your 3-ring binder and textbook to class every day. Your textbook should be covered and your name written in the front to insure you return the correct book at the end of the year. You are also responsible for maintaining your portfolio folder in the class bin. We will organize the folders this coming week. All of your graded work goes in the folder and is recorded on the status of assignment sheet. By organizing your work, you will know your grade at any time and will have a great set of study sheets for the mid-term and final.

Let’s quickly review some of the goals we have outlined so far. In US History I, we will be thinking and acting like historians:

Asking questions
Using multiple sources (primary and secondary)
Debating, discussing, reading and writing

In addition we will be working as a community of learners, working with each other to better understand events. You will have daily opportunities for accountable talk. Being accountable means being responsible to yourself, the group and the text. You should be an active member of the group by contributing your thoughts and ideas and asking questions.

We are looking at the events, issues, and personalities of the period 1600-1900 through multiple lenses so that each of us can construct our own narrative. We will also be looking at current events and making links with our past.

Charts

This past week you have been working on a chart that compares the early settlements in Jamestown and Plymouth (Plimoth). Charts are an especially useful tool for historians as they help us organize information and encourage us to compare and contrast. In addition, you have been using multiple sources to help you with the chart: text, video, and primary sources.

You may also want to check out the web site for the Jamestown settlement. Starting with this site you will be able to click on other links that will give you the opportunity to discover more information for your chart. Jamestown has received a great deal of press attention this year as they are celebrating their 400th anniversary. Even Queen Elizabeth II came to honor the legacy of some of our earliest settlers.

Coming Attractions

Next week we will continue working on the chart by reading about Plimoth Plantation in our text, using primary sources and watching a video. We will also set up our portfolio folders so make sure to bring your pocket folder to class. We will also start our study of current events. Each week you will be responsible for bringing in an article about a national or international issue. I think you will find this assignment especially interesting as it gives us the opportunity to see links between our past and today’s events. It also leads to interesting and provocative class discussions. It is also a great way to earn points. When we set up the portfolio system, we will review how you earn points.

Happy Birthday

Monday, September 17 is a special day as we pause to celebrate the Constitution. We celebrated early with our discussion of the Constitution preamble on Friday. This short document has been with us for 220 years. The Constitution clearly outlines our system of government and guarantees our freedoms of speech, religion, press and assembly. So grab a cupcake, put in a candle, and sing a round of Happy Birthday to this great document!